Feed-water heater.



No. 695,320. Patented Mar. Il, |902.

F. B. MATTHEWS.

FEED WATER HEATER.

(Application led Sept. 23, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-SheeltA l,

Nu. 695,320. Patented Mar. u, |902.

F. B. MATTHEWS.

FEED WATER HEATER.

(Application led Sept. 23. 1901.1

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

TN: Nonms PETERS co., M01-ouwe.. wAsHnN-Grou. D. c.

lINiTnn STnTns PaTnNT @risica FRANCIS B. MATTHEWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEED-WATER HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 695,320, dated March 11, 1902.

Application tiled September 23,1901. Serial No. 76,211. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Feed-"Water IIeaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in feed-water heaters, and has for its object the provision of a device which shall utilize a given quantity of steam in heating water more efficiently than has hitherto been possible in any apparatus of this type. This object I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of my improved feed-water heater. view of the interior of my improved heater as seen when the cover with the regulating-valve and perforated screen are removed; andFig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 8 3, Fig. l.

In the above drawings, A is a cylindrical casing having a llanged cover A, 'through which there is an opening a. There is also an opening a in the side of the main heatercasing A, through whiclrprojects an L-shaped pipe B, the outerend of this pipe being fianged and bolted to the casing, so as to support said pipe rigidly. There is a partition a2, having an opening through its central part, extending across the casing A, and this is inclined downwardly toward said opening. The pipe B extends through this opening, its inner end pointing upward and entering the center of the top of a conical shell C. This shell is made in two sections, one of which, c, has the shape of a truncated cone and is provided around the edges of its top with lugs c', which carry a conical detiector-section e2. The cones forming these two sections are preferably similar, and the lower edge of the section e2 preferably overlaps the upper edgeI of the section e', as shown in Fig. l.

As illustrated in Fig. 2the section c is provided with lugs c3 on its lower edge, and there are projections a3 from the sides of the main casingA, placed to correspond with the lugs c3, to which they are bolted. A portion of the lower edge of the externallsurface of the conical section 02 is recessed to accommodate a perforated conical sheet D,which extends in Fig. 2 is a plan` continuation of the conical surface of said section c2 until it has become of the same diameter across its base as the interior of the casing A.

Bolted to the top A of the heater A is a valve-casing E, having an inlet e and an outlet e. In. the latterof these is a cylindrical tube c2, flanged or bell-shaped at its lower end and having a spider e3 at its upper end, to which is attached a valve-rod e4. The cover c5 of the valve-casing is provided with the usual stuffing-box e and has in its lower part a threaded bushing, through which passes a threaded section e7 of the valve-rod.

By the revolution of the hand-wheel e8 the rod e'l is moved vertically, thereby varyin g the distance of the cylindrical section c2 from the vvcone-section c2.

I preferably construct the inside surface of the bell-shaped end of the tubular piece e2 parallel with the outside conical surface of the defleeting-section e2, so that when the said tubular section is forced against the conical section the passage of any liquid from within the tubular section or through the valve is impossible. It will be noted that the outside surface of the tubular valve c2 is finished, and there is a sleeve e provided where it passes through the valve-casing E.

In operation the pipe B is connected to a sourceof steam-supply, usually the exhaust from an engine, and the steam is delivered from said pipe against the under side of the conical deiiector e2. From here it passes downwardly between the outside surface of the conical section c and the inside surface ofthe perforated section D, passing through the latter into the upper part of the heatercasing A. In the meantime the feed-water to be heated is supplied from a suitable source through the inlet c of the valve-casing E and passes down through the interior of the tubular valve e2. If now this is slightly raised, the water flows in'a thin iilln between its bell-shaped lower edge and the upper surface of the detlecting-section` c2 and spreads over the outside of the section D, meeting relatively thin films of steam both before and after it goes through the perforations. The result of such combination is that the steam and water become thoroughly and intimately mixed, the steam being condensed and its heat Vimparted to the feed-water in a most efficient manner. The feed-water then passes on to the partition d2 and flowing through the opening therein drops to thelower part of the heater-casing, where it is drawn off for use as required.

It will be seen that by varying the height of the tubular valve-e2 above the surface of the section c2 the thickness of the film of water escaping over the conical surface of said section or detiector and the section D may be varied to suit the volume of steam entering through the pipe B, it thus being possible to regulate the thickness of this film, and hence the quantity of water,'so that the best results are obtained from the steam supplied.

I claim as my invention-- l. In a feed-water heater, the combination of a casing having an inlet and an outlet for water, a pipe extending into the casing connected to a source ofsteam-supply, a conical shell surrounding the end of said pipe, asecond conical shellover `the end of the pipe carried -by the first shell and adapted to receive the film of water from the inlet, and a removable screen placed so as to form a continuous surface with the upper surface ofthe second shell, substantially as described.

2. In a feed-water heater, the combination of a main casing, two conical shells supported within the same adjacent to one another, having a space between them, a steam-pipe connected to the said space between the shells, an opening in the main casing for the admission of water and mechanismin said opening placed to separate water in a film over the surface of one of the shells and means for varyingatwill the thickness of said film, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a feed-water heater of a main casing, two conical shells supported within the same adjacent to each other, having a space between them, a steam-pipe connected to the space between said shells, a water-inlet to the main casing, a valve connect- @d thereto, and mechanism connected to the valve for spreading the kwater in a film over the surface of one of the shells and for Varyling at will the thickness of said film, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a feed-water heater of a main casing, two conical shells supported within the same adjacent to each other, having a space between them, a steam-pipe connected to the space between said shells, a Water-inlet to the main casing over the apex of one of said shells, a valve-casing connected to said inlet having mechanism constructed to engage with the said shell whereby the thickness of the film of water flowing over the surface ot' the conical shell can be regulated, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a feed-water heater of a main casing, two conical shells supported within the same adjacent to each other, having a space between them, a steam-pipe connected to the space between said shells, a water-inlet to the main casing over the apeX of the outer one of said conical shells, a valvecasing connected to the opening having a movable tubular piece constructed to engage the outer surface of said conical shell, with means for operating said piece whereby the fiow of water into the casing and the thickness of the film thereof over the outer shell may be varied, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a feed-Water heater of a main casing, two conical shells supported within the same adjacent to each other, having a space between them, a steam-pipe connected to the space between said shells, a water-inlet to the main casing over the apex of the outer end of said conical shells, a val-Vecasing connected to the opening having a movable tubular piece provided with flared edges, constructed to engage the outer surface of said conical shell, with means for moving said piece in the line of the axis of the conical shell whereby the fiow of water into the casing and therefore the thickness of the film thereof over the outer shell may be varied, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS B. MATTHEWVS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

